260 Apartments

The "Donate" button here is for donations to the "260 Apartments" effort. (Not GMCA Dues.)​

History:

8/11/2017

Two weeks ago, the developer Wood Partners submitted their site plan for the high-density development of 10 buildings with 260 multi-family apartments on the property between Foothills Elementary and Safeway to the city of Lakewood Planning commission for approval.In response, a group of home owners along Alkire and Ohio (260 apartments) have hired a land use attorney experienced in litigation with the city of Lakewood to challenge the ability of the city to approve a high density single use multi-family apartment complex on the parcel of land zoned M-E-S (Mixed Use- Employment -Suburban).

We believe there is nothing clear or defined in Lakewood’s Title 17- Zoning Ordinance allowing for a single use apartment complex on this property but instead the opposite, Title 17 Article 3.4.2 of the Lakewood Zoning Ordinance states, a Mixed-Use-Employment District is “intended to provide for office and campus development, with ancillary retail and residential uses along arterial and collector streets” and Article 13.2 says, “mixed-use” is defined as “a single building containing more than one type of land use or a single development or more than one building and use, where the different types of land uses are in close proximity and planned as a unified complementary whole.” The purpose and intent of the mixed – use district is to “accommodate and promote a mix of commercial and residential uses,” “encourage pedestrian-friendly development consisting of business, retail, and residential used in the same building or on the same site,” and “maintain the integrity of adjacent residential neighborhoods.” Zoning Ordinance 17.3.4.1.

The hiring of this attorney to try and prevent the high-density 260 apartment development in our neighborhood is expensive and will require fund raising in the name “260 apartments” to raise the funds required to continue the fight and hold the city to its own regulations and help stop the continued high-density over development that is running rampant in Lakewood. Donations can be sent to the Green Mountain Estates Civic association for 260 apartments at GMCA; PO Box 280482;Lakewood, CO 80228 or using the Green Mountain Civic Association Pay Pal account link. We hope to continue to fight for our community’s best interests, stop this purposed apartment complex and I thank everyone for their continued concerns and support.As always contact your city counselors and attend the Ward 4 town hall meeting from 9:30 to 11:00 am this Saturday August 11 at the Green Mountain Presbyterian Church (Alameda Parkway and Mississippi). Please contact: Diane Rhodus at dirho@comcast.net or Mike Schueman at mikeschueman@comcast.net with any questions.

Information provided in an email from Barb Franks January 17, 2017. Barb's email was sent to persons who had asked questions of her. Her intention was to provide information to correspondents prior to catching up on an individual basis.

Proposed Apartment Complex (250 units) - 13155 W. Mississippi Ct. (Near Safeway)​This property was rezoned a few years back (2012) during the city-wide rezoning, which is why there were no zoning-related notices posted on this property back then. While my neighborhood and our supporters were working to save City open space, we simultaneously tried to raise public concern about many of the zoning changes so as to engage more citizens in the review and revision process. Ultimately, the M-E-S (Mixed Use Employment Suburban) zoning was applied to this particular property/vacant land. It was my understanding at the time that any development would need to have an (E)mployment component but I have since been told that a single use, such as the proposed 250 apartments, is permitted. I don't agree, based on a plain reading of the document and language regarding mixed use, and have expressed this view publicly from the dais. Here is a link to the zoning document so you can read and decide for yourself. http://www.lakewood.org/m-e-s/

It is important to note that the developer's application is in the pre-planning stage, and I am told by the planning department it is common for a plan to change, so the document I have attached should be considered a draft version.

There is renewed activity on the development of the property immediately east of Alkire south of Ohio.

The developer site plan shown here shows 10 buildings with 25 apartment in each and over 40 feet high each. For many, this seems inappropriate for the extension of Green Mountain Estates. At the same time, there are property owner rights and in fact zoning that permits this.

NOTE: The city has not reviewed or commented on this site plan submission as of this writing.